What Not To Do While Wearing Braces

Braces are a marvelous medical invention. They can align your misaligned or crooked pearly whites for a perfect smile and for the proper chewing of food. If your self-esteem is down because of how your teeth look right now, you can get your confidence back by aligning your teeth using braces.

If you want to wear braces to correct crooked or misaligned teeth, you should visit an orthodontist. After fixing braces, orthodontists usually provide instructions on what one should do and should not do for the best results.

Below are the things not to do while wearing braces. Doing any of these things will result in unsatisfactory results or during a visit to the emergency department of your local hospital.

1. Using Your Teeth as an Opening Tool

Using your teeth to open a bottle of soda or a bag of chips will affect the alignment of your teeth, which is what you are actually trying to correct by wearing braces. To find the correct tool for the job and strictly use your teeth for eating food only.

2. Eating Ice or Non-Edible Things

If you have braces on you better not chew on ice or a non-edible thing such as straw, a pen, or a pencil as many people do in schools and offices. This is because doing so can misalign your teeth or damage the wires that make up your orthodontic device.

3. Biting Your Nails

Nail-biting is a common habit among quite a number of people. However, if you are wearing an orthodontic device, you should avoid the habit. This is because the action can exert pressure on the brackets and the wires of the device resulting in damage. Cut your nails or paint them to prevent this habit.

4. Not Wearing a Mouthguard

If you play contact sports such as rugby, football, basketball, or soccer, you should wear your mouth guard especially if you are wearing braces. This is because any solid contact with your mouth while not wearing a mouth guard could result in damage to your cheeks, tongue, or teeth by the orthodontic device. So put on a mouthguard before you step onto the court or the field.

5. Eating Sticky Food

You should not eat sticky food if you have braces on. Hey, can break the brackets or bend the wires of your orthodontic device resulting in poor results in the end. So avoid sticky foods such as taffy, candy, gums, and caramel if wearing an orthodontic device.

Conclusion

An orthodontic device can help you get a bright smile, can make it easier for you to eat, and can improve your self-esteem. However, you’ve got to make sure you follow instructions for the best results. Avoid the above habits and you will probably have the results you expect.

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